The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-06


Pittsburg and Cincinnati Steamboat
Company: Captain Gus Honsh hell. of the
Big Sandy and Louisville Mail Line. and
Captain X. W. Wise, of the Memphis and
Cincinnati Packet Company appeared
before the Commission a. representa-
| tives Of the river interests.
Mr.. Rutterworth, as Spokesman of the
delegation, addressed the commission
| He maintained that the railroads were
| agencies Of Government. and that the
powers conferred upon them were CON
ferred 10y all citizens, and hence should
not be exercised for the advantage of one
class against 1other.
The present tendency Ia produce great
| aggregations of people-large cities-be-
cause the corporate agencies of the Gov
ernment gave special privileges To favor
ell points. taxing some locali-
ties for the benefit of Others.
Ii was not for the public
good that this should be If one desired
To start a factory at an intermediate
point it could not he done. not because
the advantages were lacking but because
the Government agencies would levy "A
tax i'm the way of transportation charges
for the purpose of driving out competi-
tion. The men who carry freight upon
the great natural highways. the rivers.
have no power Of this kind. They could
not forestall the market. IL one chose
To charge eNorbitant rates another
h.
petition. The railroads have asked au-
thority Ia fix rates which will drive thu,
factories from rivers. Their charges
were not to be fixed i'm accordance with
any systematic AL justment of rates
but as matter of competition
in which one party or the other must go |
under. There were classes of goods and |
always would be which would go by rail |
prospective of the rates of the competing |
lines. He noticed by the report laid he
fore the Commission by some of the
roads that their through traffic was only |
20 per cent. of their total traffic Now |
what proportion would they lose if com
PEELED to adopt uniform rates? In his
opinion il would be- inconsiderable
Touching the local trade, one man whose
shipments were but half carload was
compelled TO pay fourth class rates.
while the larger shipper of the same sort
of material shipping hundreds of car
loads WAS given rates of the
fifth class. and reapesl advantages
from this discrimination. which had "A
tendency To crush out the small shippers.
In his opinion il was the purpose of the
law to prevent these determinations,
which foster great aggregations, and
tend to the production Of Gullivers and
pigmies.
NicePresident Smith, of the Louisville
and Nashville Road. said that SO far a.
the Southern Association was concerned
there was no discrimination i'm favor of
large cities. The managers of the rail
roads recognized that it was not for
their interest To centralize business and
trade.
MICHIGAN ROADS MAKE PETITION.
George F. Blanchard. Chairman of the
Central Traffic Association, appeared
and addressed the commission briefly in
behalf Of the Michigan roads. setting
fos-,h the circumstances which led
- the establishment of lower |
through rates from Milwaukee across
he lake and thence across the State of
Michigan than conId be given for local
raffic by reason Of all rail competition
Tia Chicago. These roads asked per {
mission Ia maintain local rates irrespec-
i've of through rates until such time as
he Commission shall bs. abl.. to take the !
'eculiar circumstances and situation
nto consideration. {
John A. Lasar,is, General Freight Agent |
# the indianapolis. Decatur and Spring !
ield railway, applied by letter for the |
privilege of charging less on grain and !
ther traffic received from connecting {
ines at functions than make from !
ur local stations. He saws. for exam I
le, that the local rate from Tus- q
ola, ILL.,, to indianapolis is
ents and the rate from Indianap-
lis tn New York is 23 cents making !
, cents from Tuscola to New York. The {
ates of the other roads Is Pa cents, and n
this road participates in the connect 4
1g line business il must reduce local e
ates 10y Il cents. ;
A. ID. Smith. General Passenger Agent y
f the Pittsburg and Lake Erie road
a. presented petition asking that the
ing and short haul provision be waved
Or the present as regards the transporta- p"
on of passengers between Pittsburg and Il
lew York. This line is longer e
nan the Pennsylvania route with whi.h II
L. in competition, and to get a
mall portion of passenger traffic has put
,ur rates to $50 for second class and ;,
80 for first class a. against $3.50 bv !,
~ Pennsylvania route. !
X. \. Anderson, SuI,erinte ndent Of the .
Western and Atlantic X. X. Co., extend =
lg from Atlanta to Chattanooga peti- =
Ons to he relieved from the operation Of
~ fourth section and to charge less for :.
longer than for a shorter haul 10 from. :.
nd through Atlanta, Rome. Chatta- :,
ooga and intermediate points in order .,
" said company to meet water competi- =
on at Rome, Chattanooga. Montgomery :
nd Augusta. :.
Col Worthington, General Counsel m
" the Richmond and Danville system: O.
ajor Shelman. Traffic Manager Of the Il
entral Railroad and Banking Company oi
Georgia, and Vice-President Smith.
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
ompany, appeared before the Inter Si
late Commerce Commission during the te